Sports briefs: Rain postpones NASCAR race

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start on the pole in a Chevy alongside Carl Edwards’ Ford.

Showers were forecast all day around the state, which arrived around mid-afternoon with a heavy downpour followed by sporadic rain. NASCAR delayed the start and held out hope for a late start with jet driers on the track, but another band of rain led officials to postpone the race just after 9 p.m.

NCAA clears all

Ala. State teams

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama State University said the NCAA has cleared the school’s athletic programs to participate in postseason play.

The university says in a statement release that acting athletic director Melvin Hines was notified Friday that the NCAA had finished its evaluation. The school had submitted data and information to the NCAA after the announcement of penalties related to APR scores.

Hines said that after APR penalties were imposed on the baseball, volleyball, football and men’s basketball teams, the school was given an opportunity to submit additional data.

Friday’s announcement lifts bans against the football and men’s basketball teams. The NCAA had already lifted the bans on baseball and volleyball.

Colts safety

Lefeged arrested

WASHINGTON — Police said Indianapolis Colts safety Joe Lefeged has been arrested on gun-related charges after a traffic stop in Washington.

D.C. police spokesman Araz Alali said Lefeged was a passenger in a car that fled from police after a traffic stop for speeding early Saturday.

Court records show police smelled marijuana in the car and found a container of alcohol and semi-automatic pistol underneath the front passenger seat.

Lefeged was held on a gun possession charge. Prosecutors aren’t pursuing charges against another passenger in the car and police said the driver fled.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.

Lefeged, who grew up outside Washington, is entering his third NFL season.

The team said it’s aware of reports of the arrest but won’t comment until it has more information.